Open Whip

A whip danced without the closed-position catch. The connection stays in the hands the whole way, so the partners are an arm's length further apart at the redirection. It is also called a hustle whip.

In a basic whip the leader mostly holds their spot while the follower travels. In an open whip both partners travel about the same amount, which EastonSwing describes as "a changing of places that happens twice."¹ The leader covers the extra distance by moving counter to the follower down the slot on 2 and "3-and".²

It is usually danced with a turn on the exit, inside or outside. A sugar push is the standard way to arrive in the two-hand or open hold that starts one.³ For the follower, the "3-and" is longer than in a basic whip because of the open hold, and Matt Davis and Desiree teach waiting in it before stepping into count 4.⁴

Footnotes

1. EastonSwing, "West Coast Swing, Level 2, Open Whip Variations" at 1:04–1:36. ↩

2. Matt Davis & Desiree, Rising Tide Swing Dance Studio, "Open Whip and Exits! – WCS Guide #271" at 1:08–1:45. ↩

3. Matt Davis & Desiree, Rising Tide Swing Dance Studio, "Open Whip and Exits! – WCS Guide #271" at 3:01–4:04; EastonSwing at 1:36. ↩

4. Matt Davis & Desiree, Rising Tide Swing Dance Studio, "Underarm Open Whip with a Head Duck! – WCS Guide #161" at 1:49–2:27. ↩